WHAT DO WE WANT TO LIVE FOR?
Everyone wants to live, but few have ever poured into the ear of God such a holy motive for living as does the Psalmist
Psalm 119:17. “…that I may live, and keep thy word.”
The Psalmist gives as his sole reason for the petition a most eloquent explanation — “that I may live, and keep thy word.” How many of us can match this? Do you wish to see the light of another day? Of living in it? Why?
The primary reason most of us desire to live another day is to complete some project, share some event, to love and be loved, or simply to do things. All want to live, but few have ever poured into the ear of God such a holy motive for living as does the Psalmist.
Only the power of God allowed to have its perfect work in a life could possibly bring a person to such a point as this. Noble attempts are made to answer folk who inquire about the subject.
We may go to meetings, join the most spiritual church, do personal work, and testify freely, but if we do not have the heart longing to keep God’s precepts diligently, we utterly have missed the simple but profound truth of full surrender.
The Apostles heard parables, witnessed miracles, and received instruction direct from Him who spake as never man spake, yet Jesus was forced to say condemningly: “As yet they understand not the Scriptures” (John 10:6). On another occasion, He said with a tinge of grief in His voice, “Why do ye not understand my speech?”
There is a sad deficiency in the experience of present-day Christians as well. The empty profession must give way to glowing reality.
As far as we know, the Psalmist had never witnessed a miracle, nor heard a parable on the deeper life, nor had he had an experience as the Emmaus sojourners in a physical contact with the Lord, but he had heard a heaven-sent message. It revealed to him that God blesses those who walk in the way of the undefiled, those who seek the Lord with their whole heart. It stirred his soul and filled his thoughts. It created a hunger and thirst for righteousness.
“Open thou mine eyes,” he continues, further proving his desire to live daily according to the instructions of the Bible. Why do we not let God tell us what to do daily?
There are oceans of possibilities for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Jesus said they shall be filled.
James & Mary Lee Thornton
